Sonia Gandhi admitted to hospital, later discharged

NEW DELHI, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- India's ruling Congress Party head Sonia Gandhi was admitted to a hospital after becoming ill during Parliament debate and later discharged, her party said.

"The Congress president has come back, she is all right and her medical check-up has been completed," party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi said, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The Italian-born widow of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was admitted Monday night to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in New Delhi. She was driven from Parliament where she had participated in a lengthy debate on a food security bill which later passed the lower house. She has strongly supported the bill, designed to eradicate hunger and malnutrition in the country.

She was in the hospital for about five to undergo check-ups and was later discharged, PTI said.

"She had cough ... she had headache. She took medicines after which she felt uneasiness in Parliament, that is why she was here," a doctor at the hospital was quoted as saying

The doctor said Gandhi, 67, underwent all tests that were needed and "we found her normal, and she has left in her own car (after) talking to all the doctors, and thanking all of us."

PTI said Gandhi could not be present in the Lower House when the bill was passed.

Dwivedi said based on information from doctors, some of the medicines did not suit her and problems erupted because of their reactions, the report said.

Gandhi was seen leaving Parliament at 8.15 p.m., holding the hand of a fellow minister and walking to her car.

Her son Rahul Gandhi, who is the party vice president, accompanied his mother to the hospital, PTI said.

CNN-IBN reported Gandhi was stated to be suffering from viral fever since Sunday and was suddenly taken ill in Parliament.